The Slowed-Down Conversation: How to Support an Employee who has Behavioral Health Challenges

Traditional performance management usually involves interaction between a manager and an employee. Focusing on correcting the problem may work sometimes, but more often than not the root of the issue is more complex and needs a different kind of attention – the slowed-down conversation. When an employee is experiencing fatigue, difficulty concentrating, agitation, lack of…

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Build it and they will share

Mental health affects one quarter of the US population, yet very few employees openly share this information with employers. Employers are asking: Why don’t employees share? Donna Hardaker, Director of Wellness Works, was interviewed by the Wall Street Journal to explore the issue of disclosure in the workplace. Employers often only hear about employees who…

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The Daily Grind is Good for the Mind

The human brain thrives on what work gives us: activity, routine, social contact and identity.

The act of working gives employees far more than just the benefit of earned income. The World Health Organization names it as a health factor that when present contributes to health, and when absent can increase the chances of ill health. This is particularly relevant in the discussion about mental health. What is it about work that contributes to mental health and why should employers and insurers consider the health benefits of work?

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Why Workplace Mental Health Matters Now

Imagine in the next six months your life changing. You can’t be sure exactly what day it hits you, but it becomes achingly obvious at home and at work as the months wear on. Changes: anger, irritability, and a relentless sense of hopelessness; constant physical pain and confusion; sleepless nights, loss of appetite. And the satisfaction of feeling engaged, fulfilled and trusted at work — of being liked by colleagues — is undeniably a distant memory.

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